Carolyn Hax, author of 'Tell Me About It -- Lying, Sulking, Getting Fat and 56 Other Things Not to Do While Looking for Love,' writes her advice column for The Washington Post. / Gannett

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Carolyn Hax
The Washington Post

On conquering self-esteem issues: I had a self-esteem problem in my early 20s. The best advice I ever received - and it's so simple, it's astounding - was "run your own race."

I worked, hard, on training myself to repeat that phrase anytime I was being over-critical of myself or comparing myself to others. It taught me to be the best version of myself, not a poor imitation of someone else. It truly changed my life. - Anonymous ...